Vehicle-wheel.



T. J. HOLLAND.

VEHICLE WHEEL, APPLICATION FILED APB. 20; 191-1.

Patented Aug. 27, 1912.

2 SHEBTS$HEET 1.

il s" T. J. HOLLAND.

VEHICLE WHEEL. APPLICATION FILED L20, 1911.

1 ,037'5144, Patented Aug. 27, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

- mllliw- Q (3V 'r K @5 33 26 \Z2\ 7 l i? 7 4 12 1 7 I J I H|||l|n- UNITED STATES PATEN OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 27, 1912. Application filed April 20, 1911. Serial No. 822,877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Tnoaras J. l-lormano, a citizen of the United States, restdm at Anti o, in the county of Langlado and tate of lsconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle-Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to vehicle wheels, and more particularly to that class of wheels which are elastic 0r yieldable between the hub and tire.

An object of the invention is to rovide m wheels of this class, an improve form of spokewhieh is so constructed and arranged as to provide a maximum amount of resiliency.

Another object of the invention 18 to provide simple strong and etlicient clamping means for astenin the spokes to the rim and hub of the whee without er forating or otherwise removing the ma ertal of the spokes to weaken the same.

With these, and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and arrangement of arts which will hereinafter be more particu arly described and claimed.

In the drawings: Figure 1 represents, in side elevation, at wheel-embodying the pr esent invention; Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the dotted line M, Fig 1, the spokes being shown in elevation. 1g. 8 is an enlarged detail view, in transverse section, through the rim, tire and spoke-fastening devices; Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view, partly broken away, of the spoke clamping box, or s acer; *ig. 5 is a view. in side elevation of t a ring for receiving the inner ends of the s okes; and Fig. -6 is a pcr'i-lpcctive view 0 one of my improved 370 OS.

Referring to Fig. 2, the numeral lindicates the tapered end of an axle which has bearin -in-a tapered socket tormed in a sleeve whichis shown as provided with a plate 3 and a projecting boss 4 which is threaded ,to a receive the usual dust-excluding eapor'cover 6. The end o. the axle 1 maybe provided with athreadto, receive a nut 6,--which bearsa ainst :the boss 1. and holds themslersecure y toi-lthe -hubr The sleeve-2 is surrounded by. a ring 7 which snugly fits the sleeve, said ring being in turn surrounded b, ,1 an 1 annulus" 8 which isroplurality ofwltldill recessesw having ,theii';

side walls formed by raised portions of the metal 10, of V-shape as best shown in Fig.

5 of the drawin The depressions 0 are preferably of a d aiath which 13 substantially the same as the thickness of the ends of the spokes. The depressions 9 all terminate inwardly, on both sides of the annulus 8, in circular recesses 12, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 5 of the drawings.

The spoke 14 which I employ in the construction of this wheel is illustrated in Fi 6 of the drawing, and is composed of stedi, or other resilient metal, the spoke being elongated, as shown, and somewhat fiattene in the direction of the plane of the wheel, and rovided with a curved or bowed portion mi way between its two ends. Near the ends of the spoke the metal is formed into flattened portions 16 to provide seats for the. clamping means. The upper end of each spoke is bent as indicated at 17, at-substantially right angles to the portion 16,

andthe opposite end of the spoke is bent transverse y in similar manner, as indicated at 18, but said bent end portion or flange 18 is also all htly curved in a direction transverse of t e spoke to snugly lit in the curved recess 12 which receives said flange.

Referrin to Figs. 2 and 5, the spokes 14 have 'their ower ends as viewed in Fi 6 snu l fitted within the de ressed portions 9 o t e annulus 8 and the anges 18 of the spokes lie within the annular recesses 12 the corners o these recesses being rounded oil, as shown in Fig. 2, in order to fit'the sli ht curves formed'when'the metal of the s 0 es is bent at right angles to the spokes. ooking-,at. Fig.-2, the plate 3 fits snugly upon the'V-shaped partition walls-10 between the m onthe left hand side of the hub and acircular plate 20 which is provided with an aperture to slip over the hub 2, fits tightly upon the partitions 10 of the annulus 8 upon t e right hand side of the hub, said plates .8. and 20 closely overlyin the sub- ]aoentfiat ortions 16 of the s 0 es. Perforations 2 are formed through a suitable number or if 'desired'all of t e V-shaped partitions -10, and similar. erforations are formed in-the-pIates -B .an "20 to register therewith. Clampin -bolts '22l-pass. through .thelperforations' in't e latest} dem -a d f it u f r, ythepeMOrations 21 int e artitions 1 and v1 0 Orr-gag a to. r: wl a.

nuts-28 are'threadedto he ends of these bolts; said bolte andnuts serving to firmly clamplthe several described parts together, in order to hold the inner ends of the spokes tightly to'the hub of. the wheel. .1

Ihe rim or felly 24 is herein shown formed as an open, channel-bar shaped member, which maybe providedwith an annulaindepression or seat '26 in' its crimeter toreceive any suitable form of tire 30. The outer side walls of the rim 24 are provided with slots 39.. which are of a size and shape to snu lv receive the flanges 17 at the outer ends of the spokes, as will up war from Figs. 2 and 3. In the formation 0 the slots 32 the metal is preferably forced outwardly by a punch, or other suitable tool, so that interiorly the walls forming these slots are slightly curved or beveled, as shown in Fig. 3. The flanges 17 may be slightly rounded at their inner corners so as to fit these curved walls, in the manner shown in Fig. 8. The outer ends of the spokes are restrained against inward movement by a rectangular box or spacer 83, which is provided at each end with two oppositely extending ears 84 each of which has a er oration 86 (see Fig. 4). Interiorly the ex 83 may be hollow, and in order to conveniently remove the sand core used in molding the same the box may have at opposite ends suitable openings 38. The box 38 fits snugly between and abuts the flattened ortions 16 of the outer ends of the spokes, t e ears 84 extendin upon opposit'e sides of each spoke, and tie perforations in said-ears register with suitable perforations in the rim 24. Clamping bolts 40 pass through theperforations 30," and the perforationsin the rim which register therewith, said clamping bolts bein threaded to receive suitable nuts 41. v inner sheet metal, orother suitable form of casmg 42, is provided to close the inner 'open portion of the channel shaped rim 24,-the ends of the casing 42 extending upwardly to embrace the lower sidewalls of'the rim, and having perforations'alinin 'with the perforations 86, and 1 plates'44," a sohaving perforations 46 in almement'with the perforations 86, overlie the upturned ends of the casing 42, and are located between them and the reads and-nuts onthe "clamping bolts 40. It will be understood, that )the bolts 40-pass through perforations'in'the plates 44, the upper sidewallsoi the casing 2,-the ears 34', and thernn 24, and when the nuts 41 are tightened, the outer'end's of the spokesare firmly clamped-a instthe' ends of the boxes: 33.1 flhis provi es a very firm and 1fiic1ent,. aswell :as as; simple clam ing means =forsecuring. theqjoutem ends '0 *the spokes tot the;lrimjofi the'twlieeh 3MB moval of- :th'e 'nuts- 41ja andj-{tlie bolt-i 'itllO several parts are=loosenedv so that the box'e's 33 ma'y be taken "'outvf andkthe .ends "of the l spokes quickly dis'eng'a' e'd' from" the slots 82. i

.- rut veryiimportantf eaters et my inv'en tion, consistsin' providing an arrangement parts, which includes the spokes, for ypclamping the spokes to the wheel without necessitating the formation of holes "in the s okes, to receive belts or the like.

Holes wien formed for-this pur ose have been foundin practice to material y weaken the spokes of a spring wheel of this type, 'so that in the excessive and varying strain to which these spokes are subjected when in use, they are frequently broken. By my invention, I entirely obviate erforating the spokes, and hence am euab ed to hold them firmly to the wheel without impairing their strength to resist the strains to which the are subjected.

Ks will be seen from Fi 2 of the drawings, the s okcs 14 may be bowed oppositely from the ongitudinal median plane of the wheel, but I do not desire to be limited to bowin all of the spokes outwardly from such ane.

It is to be understood that changes in size, form, pro ortions, or details of construction, may e made without departing from the spirit of my invention, provided such changes fall within the scope of the following claims.

Havin thus described my invention,

what I c aim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In a vehicle wheel, the combination comprising a hub having annular recesses, a rim provi ed in its sides with slots, spokes of resilient metal each composed of a flat strip having an intermediate portion which is regularly curved throughout and-atopposite ends has portions which lie in the same plane and extend beyond the curved portions, and o positely turned flan es at the ends of sai spokes to, respeetivel occupy said recesses and slots, combined with clamping meansfor securing the spokes to the hub and rim.

'Q'a'A vehicle wheel having, in combination,-an annulus provided with radial depressions, an'annular recess at the inner ends'of said depressions, resilient s okcs having flattened portions to fit sai' depressions and inturned angular flanges to tit said recessesiand cl'am ing means for securing guide 0 s to sai annulus.

' Az -ve icle-wheel having,-in combination, an annulus provided with radial depressions and-an annular recess at'the inner ends oflsaid f depressionsy resilient s okcs having-flattened portions tofit sai depressions,-'and =inturned angular transversely cur-Vd flan 9 te'fitsaid recess, a clam in g plate cevermgttheendsof-said spokes w llcll ,are seat'eddmthew'depressions, and bolts for fastening; their-plate; te: the annulus. 274; "A "vehicle'swheel l having, I in combinafi-tionfa' liu'bvzt. rim'pr'ovided in its-sides with slot's, resilient'spokes havingtheir'inner ends lOt secured to the hub and provided at-their outer ends with bent flanges to enter said slots, an internal spacer between the outer ends of the spokes, and external clamping means to act on the rim and clamp the rim and s okes a ainst said spacer.

5. X vehic le wheel havin in combination, a channeled rim provided in itssides with slots, resilient spokes having their outer ends flanged to enter said slots, spacer blocks arranged between said ends of the spokes and having laterally extcudin perforated cars located upon opposite sides of the spokes, and clampin bolts passing through the said ears and the rim to securely chuup the ends of the s okcs between the spacer blocks and the wal s of the rim.

6. A vehicle wheel havin in combination, a channeled rim provi ed in its sides with slots, resilient spokes having flanged ends to enter said slots, spacer blocks provided with laterally extending perforated cars located upon opposite sides of the spokes, a casin covering the inner 0 on side of the rim an having its ends overlapping the side walls of said rim, and clamping bolts passing through said casin rim and perforated ears for clamping t e several parts against the spacer blocks.

7. A vehicle wheel havin in combination, a .channeledrim provi ed in its sides with slots, resilient spokes having flanged ends'to' enter said slots, spacer blocks provided with laterally extending perforated ears located upon opposite sides of the spokes a casing covering the inner open side of the rim and having its ends overlapping the side walls of said rim,

lates located outside the walls 0 erforated said easmg, and clamping bolts passing through the Oopiss of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0- 

